Stonehaft
Summary The Stonehaft clan can refer to two distinct groups: the pure-blooded dwarven clan, or, more commonly, the merchant family in Corstopitum. The dwarven clan is as traditional as they are small, and, while they have benefited from the name recognition of their nominal offshoot, steadfastly refuse to have anything to do with the more famous merchant family. The merchant family, in contrast, is as eclectic and eccentric as they are rich-- which, given that they collectively control a significant amount of the trade though Corstopitum, makes them insanely eclectic and eccentric. They are, however, quite good at making money-- and helping their friends. If one has the friendship of a Stonehaft, it would be almost impossible to find a more staunch ally. History The origins of the merchant clan are quite infamous, and can be traced directly to the events surrounding the Second War of the Rift. Following the tragic death of his father, Romasi Warshamman, the dwarven-raised half-elf Carat returned to Corstopitum to assume the management of the newly-ownerless Wolf's Tooth tavern. The nascent relationship he had with the owner of the Masked Axe tavern, Kriemhild Stonehaft, soon blossomed into romance and the two were wed. Despite all predictions to the contrary, the pair was not infertile, and it was not long before they were raising a rather large family. Of course, owning the only two taverns in the city made for a good financial union, and it was only natural that the Stonehaft children would be as energetic and disparate as their parents. In honor of his late father, Romasi Warshamman, the clan's patriarch, Carat, began "looking after" the orphaned children of the civilians killed in the fighting during the Second War of the Rift. Following his marriage to Kriemhild, the two took to adopting whatever orphans they found that fell through the cracks in the Order's charities. Even after they began having their own children, they could be found housing and caring for those in need. Of course, as all those children grew, they needed something to do, and so Carat and Kriemhild put them to work. Those children, in turn, repaid the investment in their lives with utter loyalty and began taking the name Stonehaft themselves. Thus, the foundations for the future merchant empire were laid. When the Order of Bahamut discovered the Hall of Rings in Steinfestung, a Stonehaft was part of the first adventuring party though the gates. The hardiness and industriousness of the clan, coupled with the resources to finance their own expeditions and Carat's close relationship with the Order's leadership, meant that the clan secured a large portion of the initial extra-planar trade routes. Also, the clan's habit of adopting every other street orphan meant that the clan also had the manpower to become the merchant of choice for larger, more dangerous contracts. By the time the dust settled, the Stonehafts controlled a full quarter of the trade flowing through Corstopitum and Steinfestung, and had expanded their interests all over Eona. Leadership As the years wore on, Carat found that he had not entirely escaped the elemental transformation that affected his brothers. He remained young while his beloved wife aged and died. By the time of Kriemhild's death, Carat had grown world-weary and cynical. When he kissed his wife good-by for the last time, the apparently ageless patriarch turned to his family, embraced each one, took the signet ring from his finger, handed it to his eldest daughter, and walked out the door without a word. Carat would return periodically to see his family, but refused to take part in managing the clan's interests. Over time, the clan became used to having him as an adviser and accepted his withdrawal from leadership. The daughter to whom he had passed his signet ring led the clan for a decade before deciding that she was weary of the work. What she did then set the precedent that has reigned ever since. She chose three of her kin, gave them each a hundred gold, and told them to return in a year's time with their fortune. Of the three, one came back rich, one came back-- briefly-- to report his new life as an adventurer, and one came back with a wife and adopted child in tow and a modest sum. Carat's daughter conferred with each, and then awarded the clan leadership to the one with the wife and child-- one of the children of her adopted brother. The first one, who had made the money, took over as chief financial officer managing the family's investments. To this day, when the clan head decides to retire, they send out three candidates and choose based on what each learns in their travels. Notably, there is no favoritism due to lineage. A direct descendant of Carat and Kriemhild has been clan head only four times, with first-generation adoptees being chosen twice. The clan firmly believes that to be a Stonehaft has little to do with blood and everything to do with loyalty. Traits Given the eclectic mix of the Stonehaft clan, there are few traits that can be said to be universal or even terribly common. Three traits in particular, however, hold true for nearly every Stonehaft. Loyalty, Compassion, and Tenacity. Stonehafts are fanatically loyal to their family-- even the ones they don't like. This does not mean they will never do anything against their family, but they will not willingly cause lasting harm to each other. This loyalty extends to those they consider friends, and once they have decided someone is worthy of their friendship, they will travel to the ends of the earth (and beyond) for that person. Secondly, the Stonehafts are compassionate. It is very difficult for them to pass up someone in need. This is not to say that they are particularly sacrificial about it, but on more than one occasion a poor farmer who just had his crop fail has hosted a travelling stranger and awakened to an offer of a pre-paid contract to provide his next year's harvest to the merchant house. At the very least, even the black sheep of the family tend to leave behind well-fed street children as they travel. It should be noted, however, that the family is also ruthless toward those who abuse their trust and generosity. Finally, nearly every member of the clan reflects stubborn refusal to give up, no matter the odds. This has resulted in more than one failed endeavor, but like the clan's loyalty and dedication to helping others, the Stonehafts care little for what the logical, self-preservative thing to do would be. Instead of running away in the face of certain death, they're likely to grit their teeth and fight on. Like everything else they do, of course, this does not mean they'll do what one would expect. Often mistaken for a grudge, a Stonehaft who has suffered a setback might spend years working on alternative ways to achieve their original goal. In one famous incident, a member of the clan lost a bet that he could make a trade run to Eisenplatz and back in less than a day. Upon his loss, he devoted himself to improving the transportation between the cities, and a decade later repeated his run and completed it in two-thirds of the time it had originally taken him.